Electoral Consolidation Through Islamic Populism and Religious Grievance: The Case of Transformation of Hagia Sophia in Turkey

Abstract

The transformation of Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020 has been one of the major topics of public debate in Turkey. Based on the literature on populism and the role of emotions in politics, this paper analyzes the case of Hagia Sophia by suggesting a split from economy-based explanations of populism. It is argued that the case of the transformation of Hagia Sophia as a populist maneuver can be analyzed through historical context that shapes and affects the emotion of religious grievance in contemporary Turkey. This paper discusses how the AKP and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan operationalize the case of the transformation of Hagia Sophia through religious grievances as a populist discourse to establish electoral consolidation in the wake of two large-scale crises.